Footwear



Fatenti ibliay ii., EQ2@ narran stares WARREN MAGPHEBSON, 0F GAMBRDGE,MASSACHUSETTS.

FGOTWEAR.

Application med March 16, 13%. Serial No. 700,135.

This invention relates to a shoe used in playing athletic games suchv astennis and' a vulcanized shoe which includes anupper of duck or canvas,and a bottom superstructure which is vulcanized to the upper and to therubber outer sole.

vIt has been found that the rough surface of crepe rubber constitutes avery desirable clinging tread. The methods employed in making creperubber are such that the rubber can be produced only in a sheet oflimited thickness, so that an outer sole composed entirely of a piececut from such sheet would be too thin for use in a sport shoe.Heretofrire outer soles with crepe rubber treads have been produced bycementing together` several superimposed plies or layers of un,-vulcanized crepe rubber until the desired thickness is attained, andcementing the layers together, the sole thus formed being subsequentlyvulcanized. Objections to this 'j method are as follows:

1. rlihe rough surface of the rubber presents a multiplicity ofprojectionsand des pressions, so that when the layers are assembled, airspaces are liable to occur in the joints formed by the meeting of thelayers, there being several oints, each liable to have air spaces. Theair thus confined is expanded by heat during vulcanization, so thatblisters are often formed.

2. The layers do not contact with cach other when the air spaces areformed, so that they are liable to be tornfapart when the completedsole, incorporated in a shoe, -is subjected to the strains incidental tothe playing of athletic games.

3. Because ofthe roughness oi the inner side face of the sole, said facecannot be attached as iirmly to that portion of the shoe to which theouter sole is united in a vulcanized shoe, as would be the case if saidtace were smooth.

4. The edge tace oi the sole between its inner and tread faces is alsorough, and presente an unsightly appearance, said edge it?" facenecessarily oi considerable width and thickness.

- i obviate these objections by the improved construction oi the outersole hereinafter described claimed.

Oi the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,

Figure l is a side View of a lvulcanized shoehaving an outer soleembodying the invention. y

Figure 2 is a bottom view of the rubber G0 outer sole shown by Figure 1,the toe portion being broken away.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig ure 2.

Figure 3a is a fragmentary sectional View, G5 showing portions of thetwo layers forming ,the outer sole, before said layers are assem-` bled.Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure l. i i

Figure 5 shows in section portions of the upper and the bottomsuperstructure of a vulcanized shoe, assembled on a last, and a portionof the outer sole in position to be applied to the superstructure, thevulcanizabl, parts being supposed to be unvulcanize The same referencecharacters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

In the drawings a designates the canvas upper of a vulcanized shoe."With the upper is associated an inner sole b, over which the margin aof the upper is drawn, and a binder c, placed upon the margin a and theportion of the inner sole surrounded by said margin. The binder isprepared for vulcanization, and is composed of fibrous niateriai andrubber cement, or other form of unvulcanized rubber. The fibrousmaterial may be either in the form of woven fabric, such as duck orcanvas, or of fibers which are not interwoven.

The parts above described are assembled on a last d, as indicated byFigure 5. The assemblage may include a foxmg e of unvulcanized rubber,applied as shown to cover ortions oi the upper and the binder. riheinder 0 constitutes a vulcanizable element oi a bottom superstructure,to which the rubber outer sole hereinafter described is vulcanized.

in carrying out my invention, when the same is embodied in a vulcanizedshoe, l complete the bottom of the shoe by applying to saidsuperstructurea two-layer outer sole, composed oi a relatively thickbody layer l2 of rubber soling, distinguished as hereinstated, andhaving substantially smooth surfaces, and a thinner facing layer orveneer 13 of crepe rubber having the usual rough surfaces. Said layersare prepared for Vulcanization, assembled While unvulcanized, and unitedto each other by a vulcanizing o eration which unites the body layer l2to t e vuleanizable element of the bottom superstructure, said elementin this instance, including the binder c and the forging e, although ifthe foxing is not employed, the vulcanizable element will include onlythe binder.

in stating that the body layer 12 is composed of rubber soling, I meanrubber comounded for vulcanization in the manufacture of relativelythick elastic soles for sport shoes, and formed into a layer havingsubstantially smooth surfaces and of uniform density, so that there areno air spaces between the external surfaces.

The preferred rubber soling is composed of nure or nearly pure gumrubber, compounded for vulcanization and run through a soling calenderin the forni of a sheet, having;l approximately two-thirds of thethickness of the completed sole. fr thinner sheet of crepe rubber,compounded for vulcanizetion and produced in the usual manner, havingthe usual thickness of crepe rubber, is rolied and pressed Whileunvuicanized on to the sheet of rubber soling, thus bringing, thetwo-part sheet up to the required thiol;- ness of the outer sole, whichis died out of the sheet by the usual means. rhe sheet of rubber solinghas substantialiy smooth surfaces and is of uniform density Without airspaces or blow holes.

in the formed outer soie, the rough top face of the facing iayer, isconformed by pressure to the smooth bottom face of the body layer, sothat a joint is formed which is free from air spaces.

The smooth inner face of the body layer so contacts with thesuperstructure of the bottom that a joint is formed which is also freefrom air spaces.

The edge face of the two-part sole is formed by the instrumentalitiesWhich cut the sole from the t-Wopart sheet. That portion or zone of theedge face formed on the body layer, constituting the major portion ofthe edge face of the completed sole, presents a smooth finishedappearance. rEhe tread face of the soie and the narrow zone of the edgeface formed on the facing; inver, presernJ the usual appearance and have'the usual roughness of crepe rubber.

prefer to thicken the heel portion of the ody iayer 12, and thus providethe x a spring heel haring an iniine b This thickening may be incalender rolls which form v .e

My improvement bore desc a the objections above mentioned ventingblistering of the outer sole in the v5 Vulcanizer, preventing liabilityof separation of the tread portion from the portion above it, causing:Tperfect adhesion of the inner surface of the sole to the superstructure,and providing the major portion of the outer sole edge with a smoothsightly face.

The improved outer sole, therefore, has all of the advantages and noneof the disadvantages of a crepe rubber sole as heretofore prepared, andis less expensive than the latter.

Although I have particularly described my invention in connection with avulcanized shoe, it is to be understood that i am not limited to thisparticular type of shoe, ex- 00 cepting as hereinafter specified in oneof the appended claims.

claim:

l. A two-layer rubber outer sole composed of a relatively thick bodylayer of rubber soling, free from air spaces and haring smooth surfaces,and a thinner tread layer of rough surfaced crepe rui ber pr ed againstthe body layer, to contorni its top surface to the bottoni surface ofthe bod \v 9@ layer, and thereby form a joint -which is free from airspaces, said layers being united. by yulcanization, the sole beingcharacterized by operative taiclness, a smooth surfaced top face adaptedto conform and` be unit` 955 by yulcanization to the bottom face of asuperstructure, Without formingl` air spaces between said faces, asmooth surface niarginal face imparting desirable finish to the majorportion of the soie edge, and a cling- 1 ingroughsurfaced tread face,there being an absence of air spaces throughout the entire mass of thesole.

2. A yuicanizco shoe comprising a bottoni including e superstructurerulcauizcd to the 7-05 upper; und a two-iziycr outer solo composed of arelatively thick body ,i rulzihcr soling, free from air spaces andsmooth surfaces, and a thinner tra( ,l A of rough-surfaced crepe rubbert against the body layer to conform its top surface to the b` om surfaceof the bod)Y layer and therebj,v form a int `which is free from airspaces, said iay ed by yuicanization, the top .c body layerbeingconformed ano init Vulcanization to the hottm perstructure, withouttween said faces, the i of the body laye iinish vto the inajf the bottomface ing a clinging` and the outer so tbrouehout

